Diet and Nutrition

The term “BARF” is simply an acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. It’s a home-made diet formulated for the optimum health and longevity of your dog. If you intend to change your dog's diet to BARF it is highly recommended that you buy "Give your dog a bone" by Dr Ian Billinghurst before you start! This sheet is usually handed out during a Private Lesson incorporating diet and is no way intended to substitute the excellent and necessary material you'll find in the book.

60% MEATY BONES
60%-70% of which are RAW chicken bones, the remainder (30%-40%) being bones from RAW lamb, rabbit, beef, pork, venison etc.

40% OTHER FOOD STUFFS
Green leafy vegetables should make up about 60%-70% of the vegetable part of the diet, with grain and starchy vegetables being between 20%-30%. The offal portion of the diet, that is liver, kidneys and hearts etc., should be about 5%-15% of the diet. Throw in some eggs two to three times a week, more often if you wish.

But the diet I feed my dog is already labelled “Complete”, so why should I switch to a BARF diet?

Firstly, because your dog will absolutely LOVE it.
Then consider that the food you throw away is probably both fresher and better quality than the “Complete” dog food you are buying at present! (Chicken feathers, guts and feet, commonly found in commercial pet-food, contain 80% protein!!!!!)
Because it’s raw, it’s intrinsically healthier than any commercially available dog food. And, by the way, clean teeth, sweet smelling breath and odourless poop are a by-product of this diet!
You’ll spend less time at the vets, reducing your cost of dog ownership. Your vet only spends 24 hrs during his 7 years of training studying canine nutrition. The rest of his knowledge is gleaned from the pet-food company reps who are obviously and sadly somewhat biased!
BARF diets are designed to feed your dog as nature intended; in the manner they evolved to eat, not to be a convenient ‘waste-product-disposal method’ for the wholesale food industry. Did you know that “Mars” owns Pedigree Pet foods?
YOU are in complete control every element of the diet. There are no cheap fillers, toxic preservatives, E Numbers (which can contribute to hyperactivity), rancid fats, unsavoury animal parts (“meat and animal derivatives” in dog-food-speak) or chemical antioxidants!

	Week 1		Week 2		Week 3
	Morning	Evening	Morning	Evening	Morning	Evening
Monday	Starve*	Milk	Starve*	Milk	Starve*	Starchy
Tuesday	Green Leafy Vegetable	Chicken Bones	Green Leafy Vegetable	Chicken Bones	Green Leafy Vegetable	Chicken Bones
Wednesday	Grain and Legumes	Chicken Bones	Starchy	Chicken Bones	Chicken Bones	Chicken Bones
Thursday	Other Bones	Chicken Bones	Other Bones	Chicken Bones	Other Bones	Chicken Bones
Friday	Chicken Bones	Chicken Bones	Offal and meat	Chicken Bones	Offal and meat	Chicken Bones
Saturday	Other Bones	Chicken Bones	Other Bones	Chicken Bones	Chicken Bones	Chicken Bones
Sunday	Other Bones	Chicken Bones	Other Bones	Chicken Bones	Other Bones	Chicken Bones

You don’t have to be a slave to this model! Whilst the percentages for this example are correct, you don’t have to feed the meals in this order (except I do suggest you feed one of the “light” / cooked meals after the starve). Do take advantage of what’s readily available at this time of year.

*Starve: Puppies that haven't finished teething yet do not get starved, nor do old or ill dogs! Once you’ve decided which day you’re going to starve, don’t change the position of this essential “Tummy Rest” period. This should be a day of relative inactivity for your dog, not a day when he needs the calories because you are competing or going for an especially long hike!

Includes bones from RAW chicken, lamb, beef and even pork if its not too dear. We feed about 60%–70% chicken, the remainder being lamb, rabbit, beef, pork or whatever. The reason for the higher levels of chicken is partly because of availability and partly because of the better levels of essential fatty acids in raw meaty chicken bones compared to other meaty bones. The parts we use are whole chicken or turkey wings, necks and backs; ribs, necks and spines from lamb, pork and beef. The dog eats the whole lot; these are not “recreational” bones!

For each cup of vegetables add half to two whole eggs or yolks only, a teaspoon of oil, a teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and a teaspoon of brewer’s yeast. For variation, instead of the egg add a similar quantity of cottage cheese, ordinary cheese, or minced beef, or one of the organ meats put through the blender. Raw veggies need to be put through a juicer first, or you can LIGHTLY steam them.

This “meal” consists of ordinary cow’s milk (goats milk is sometimes more acceptable), about a cup, to which you add two or three egg yolks, or whole eggs if your dog can tolerate them, 5 to 10 ml of one of the vegetable oils, one or two teaspoons of brewer's yeast and a pinch of “lite” salt.

Cooked: combine approx. equal amounts of a cooked grain such as rice or oats and a legume such as baked beans or a three bean mix, or a soup mix. Add pulverised green leafy vegetables, oil, yoghurt, brewer's yeast and kelp.

This is basically a cooked meal. It will consist of one or more of potatoes, rice, pumpkin, sweet potato, bread, pasta, oats etc. Add yoghurt, dried fruits, milk, green leafy vegetables, brewer’s yeast and kelp.

Any meat you wish: beef, chicken, lamb, pork, turkey, etc... 85%-95% of this meal should be offal. This is one or more of the following: Liver, kidney, heart, brain, tripe etc. Fed RAW. You can also add some egg, fish, cottage cheese, vegetables, oil, brewer’s yeast and kelp.

Animal Products
Raw meaty bones from chicken, lamb, beef, rabbit, pork. Muscle meat from chicken, lamb, beef, pork, Organ Meat - liver, kidneys, heart or brains. Eggs, especially the yolk. Seafoods - any fatty fish, herring, salmon, sardines etc. (supermarkets – butchers – fishmongers)

Plant Products
Fresh, green leafy vegetables such as spinach, outer leaves of lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts etc. Corn, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash, mushrooms. Root vegetables, potatoes, carrots, radishes, turnips, parsnips. Fresh and dried fruits (any). Legumes - peas and beans, baked beans. Whole Grains including brown rice and oat flakes, wheat germ, wheat bran, wholemeal bread. (Supermarkets)

Miscellaneous
Brewer's yeast powder or tablets, kelp powder, granules or tablets, molasses, apple cider vinegar, Vitamin E, Vitamin C Powder, garlic (fresh or granules), CFA Herb Mix. (Supermarkets– Good health-food shops). Herbs are currently available on eBay - Just search for "Winter Herbs" from November to April and "Summer Herbs" from May to October.

Oils
Cod Liver Oil, corn oil, ground nut oil, soyabean oil, wheatgerm oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil. (Waitrose have most excellent range of edible oils, far better than Tesco or Sainsbury’s!)

Raw chicken wings, tossed in one of the oils listed above then lightly coated in the Canine Film Academy herb mix with a pinch of Vitamin C powder.
Home-made “malt loaf” (wholemeal loaf stuffed with: fruit, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, black-strap molasses, honey and malt extract), drizzled with one of the oils listed above; served with fresh live yoghurt, cottage cheese and raw egg. Top Tip: the Morphy Richards breadmaker from Hombase was only £39.99 and I just love it (for us as well as the dogs)!
Raw Tescos lamb hearts stuffed with low fat natural cottage cheese.
Scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast, served with fresh live yoghurt, natural low fat cottage cheese, vitamin C, brewers yeast tablet(s), a drizzle of oil and a pinch of herbs.
Raw salmon cuts, treated in the same way as the chicken wings. (Ask your fishmonger for the “skirts” – they’ll be incredibly cheap, …if not free.
Lightly steamed or juiced vegetables, drizzled with oil and apple cider vinegar, with brewers yeast tablet(s), kelp granules and Vitamin C.
Raw Calves liver (ask your butcher for “liver trim”) with egg and cheddar cheese.
Macaroni cheese with supplements.
Raw lamb necks rolled in oil, apple cider vinegar, herbs and Vitamin C.
Milk and egg “shake” with herbs, molasses, Vitamin C, brewers yeast and kelp.
“Recreational” beef bones (no meat left on, but still have a huge chewable-enjoyment-factor) should be available to your dog throughout the day.

Dirty ears? For long eared dogs, use a “spaniel bowl” or peg the dogs ears back with a clothes peg so they don’t get dirty (only peg the fur, not the flaps themselves). Alternatively you can either buy or make a “snood” that slips over the head and holds the ears back and out of the food.

Still sceptical? We run a bimonthly blood clinic. The dog’s blood is drawn by our vet and sent to Hemopet in California, USA.

The 7200 profile analyses over 30 aspects of your dog’s blood, immediately indicating any dietary inadequacy or ill health. I’ve had my own dogs’ bloods tested 3 times over a 6 month period before recommending this diet. We are happy to organise the same service for you!